Main Content

[7-Wythe-Hostages]

[ANCHOR=Melanie]

A crime spree that started earlier this week in Tennessee, ended last night in Wythe County when the two suspects peacefully surrendered to authorities.
After a nine hour standoff, the fugitives are now in custody and awaiting arraignment.
Marya Jones reports.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=Authorities drove away]
[SUPER=01-Lt. Curtis Bailey/Va. State Police; :05]
[SUPER=03-Wythe Co.; :24]
[SUPER=@Marya2; :43]
[SUPER=01-Lewis Stroup/Hostage's Brother-In-Law; :59]
[SUPER=03-Tennessee/Tuesday; 1:09]
[RUNS=1:21]
[OUT Q=MJN7.]
(( Authorities drove away from nine tense hours with intense relief.
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[SOT 46:38 - :49]
((LT. CURTIS BAILEY/VA. STATE POLICE: ANY TIME WE HAVE A SITUATION AS SERIOUS AS THIS AND NOBODY GOT HURT ... NONE OF THEM GOT HURT AND THAT'S THE MAIN THING.))
[RUNS= :11]

21-year-old Angela Tanner and 38-year-old Dennis Lewis turned themselves and their weapons over without a fight.
They were coaxed out after several hours discussing suicide or surrender on the phone with negotiators, family and a state police chaplain.
Both had taken a large amount of Valium.
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[SOT 45:04 - :10]
((LT. CURTIS BAILEY/VA. STATE POLICE: DENNIS PASSED OUT AND SHE GOT THE GUNS, LAID THEM ON THE TABLE AND CAME OUT.))
[RUNS= :06]

Their three hostages were released unharmed.
Ellen Delp, kidnapped from a Wytheville motel that morning, was freed in exchange for a carton of cigarettes.
44-year-old Ricky Sexton and his wife Toni were released from their house hours later. With that, the Dennis Lewis made good on a promise he made to the Sexton family, gathered outside.
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[SOT 18:52]
((LEWIS STROUP/HOSTAGE'S BROTHER-IN-LAW: HE SAID THIS MAY BE THE END FOR ME AND MY GIRLFRIEND BUT HE PROMISED OVER AND OVER HE WOULDN'T HARM EITHER ONE OF THEM.))
[RUNS= :10]

Now, the couple face a long list of charges in Tennessee ... where their run-in with the law started violently ... and in Virginia ... where it came to a peaceful end 48 hours later.
Marya Jones, News 7.))

[7-11Harris]

A Roanoke jury has found Michael Harris guilty of fatally stabbing his friend in the back last year.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

The 40-year old defendant testified Wednesday that he'd gone to spend the night with Paul Andrew Wright November 14th. Harris had just broken up with his wife.
He claimed Wright was fondling him while Harris slept... and that that sent him into a rage.
The jury rejected that story ...by their verdict yesterday afternoon.
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[SOT 14:54:30]
[IN Q=We the jury]
[RUNS=08]
[OUT Q=foreperson.]
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[VO-NAT]

[7-6Sharp]

No jail time for a former Martinsville television personality.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Martinsville/September;]

Yesterday a judge gave former Cable Six talk show host Bob Sharp three years probation for a welfare fraud conviction.
Sharp will also have to pay nearly 350 dollars in court costs.
Last December, a Judge found Sharp guilty of lying on a welfare application.
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[45-2-Wythe-Standoff]

A man and woman are behind bars this morning in Wythe County following a two state, two day crime spree that ended with a nine hour standoff.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Wythe Co.]

21-year-old Angela Tanner and 38-year-old Dennis Lewis turned themselves and their weapons over without a fight.
They were coaxed out after several hours discussing suicide or surrender on the phone with negotiators, family and a state police chaplain.
Both had taken a large amount of Valium.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 45:04 - :10]
[IN Q=dennis]
((LT. CURTIS BAILEY/VA. STATE POLICE: DENNIS PASSED OUT AND SHE GOT THE GUNS, LAID THEM ON THE TABLE AND CAME OUT.))
[SUPER=01-Lt. Curtis Bailey/Va. State Police]
[RUNS= :06]
[OUT Q=came out]
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[VO-NAT]

Their three hostages were released unharmed.
The suspects now face several charges that include kidnapping, car jacking, and attempted first degree murder.
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[45-11Cressell]

A three judge panel is taking a look at the Emmett Cressell Jr. case, in his bid for a new trial.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Independence/1998]

Cressell is one of two men convicted of burning and beheading a black man in Grayson County in 1997.
He was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of G- P Johnson.
Yesterday, his attorney argued the trial should have been moved, and a prospective juror disqualified.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=Any time]
((MARK CLAYTOR/CRESSELL'S ATTORNEY: ANY TIME THAT A CRIMINAL DEFENDANT COMES BEFORE A COURT, IT'S THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES THAT'S ON TRIAL. AND WE FEEL THAT WE ARE REPRESENTING THE CONSTITUTION IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, AN WE'RE READY TO GO TO THE WALL FOR IT.))
((PATRICIA JOHNSON/VICTIM'S COUSIN: I WAS NOT ON THE JURY. I APPRECIATE THE JOB THEY DID AND I HOPE THAT THE JUDGES THAT WERE ON THE CASE TODAY WILL SEE IT TOO.))
[SUPER=01-Mark Claytor/Cressell's Attorney; :00]
[SUPER=01-Patricia Johnson/Victim's Cousin; :16]
[RUNS=:29]
[OUT Q=will see it too.]
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[ANCHOR=Melanie]
[GRAPHIC=None]

The Appeals Court panel heard oral arguments yesterday and will rule on the case at a later date.

[45-11Williamson-Ax]

Two separte accidents last night in Roanoke sent four people to the hospital.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

One happened on Williamson Road across from Gio's Cycle Systems- at about 7:30.
A motorcycle and a city truck collided.
Two people on the motorcyle were sent to Roanoke Memorial Hospital- the truck driver was also taken to the hospital.

No word yet on their conditions or if charges will be filed.
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[Talent=Melanie]
[SS=HOLD]

At about the same time there was an accident on on Brandon Avenue- near the Peter's Creek Road Extension.
At least one person was injured and taken to R-M-H.

[45-11Plane-Crash]

A pilot trying to land at the Roanoke Regional Airport forgot to use his landing gear.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

The single-engined Cessna landed on its belly just after six last night.
Pilot James Woltz and a business associate were taking aerial photographs before the accident happened.
No one was hurt, but the plane was heavily damaged.
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[8-4-Wythe-Standoff]

Two suspects are behind bars this morning in Wythe County following a two day, two state crime spree that ended with a nine hour hostage drama.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Wythe Co.]

Late last night 21-year-old Angela Tanner and 38-year-old Dennis Lewis turned themselves and their weapons over without a fight.
Their three hostages were released unharmed.
Ellen Delp, kidnapped from a Wytheville motel yesterday morning, was freed in exchange for a carton of cigarettes.
44-year-old Ricky Sexton and his wife Toni were released from their house hours later.
Lewis had promised family members waiting outside he would release them.
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[SOT 18:52]
[IN Q=He said]
((LEWIS STROUP/HOSTAGE'S BROTHER-IN-LAW: HE SAID THIS MAY BE THE END FOR ME AND MY GIRLFRIEND BUT HE PROMISED OVER AND OVER HE WOULDN'T HARM EITHER ONE OF THEM.))
[SUPER=01-Lewis Stroup/Hostage's Brother In Law]
[RUNS=10]
[OUT Q=one of them]
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[VO-NAT]

Lewis and Tanner now face several charges that include kidnapping, car jacking, and attempted first degree murder.
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[8-11D-Day-Memorial]

The board of the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford helped convince the Governor to leave almost four and a half million dollars in the state budget for completing the Memorial.
The Governor even fixed a budget technicality -- making two million dollars in so-called "contingency funds" a direct appropriation instead.
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[SOT 14:08:13]
[IN Q=Last year,]
((DEL. MORGAN GRIFFITH/R-SALEM: LAST YEAR, THERE WERE A WHOLE LIST OF CONTINGENCIES. AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT TO PULL ONE OUT AND SAY WELL WE'RE GONNA FUND THIS ONE AS OPPOSED TO THE OTHER ONES. THIS YEAR HE'S GOT ONE CONTINGENCY AND HE BELIEVES IT'S IMPORTANT ENOUGH, SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE MONEY TO DO THE WHOLE PROJECT. WHICH IS A SUBSTANTIAL SUM OF MONEY.))
[SUPER=@Griffith;]
[RUNS=:17]
[OUT Q=sum of money.]
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[VO-NAT]

Lawmakers credit Bedford Delegate Lacey Putney with helping win the Governor's support.
The Overlord Arch is to be dedicated on Memorial Day this year.
Bedford suffered the most casualties per capita on June 6, 1944.
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[8-11NAACP]

The N-Double-A-C-P held it's second annual "Image" Awards last night to highlight contributions of people and organizations that work to uplift their community.
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[VO-NAT 15:11:15]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

Long-time comedian and civil-rights activist Dick Gregory was the featured speaker.
Among last night's award recipients ... our own Roy Stanley.
He's been on the air at News 7 since 1972.
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[SOT]
[15:16:06]
[IN Q=]
((I FILLED OUT THE APPLICATION BUT I DID NOT THINK I WOULD GET THE JOB AND THAT'S THE WAY I LEFT. IT WAS REALITY TO ME... YOU'RE NOT GOING TO WORK HERE. AND THREE DAYS LATER, I GOT A PHONE CALL FROM THE NEWS DIRECTOR.))
[RUNS=:16]
[OUT Q=from the news director.]
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[VO-NAT]

Roy is the dean of Virginia sportscasters, but he told the audience that's only because he's the oldest.
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